The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization’s (CSIRO) Melbourne-based factory has begun production
of a test dose for a potential novel vaccine for coronavirus (COVID-19). This comes at a pressing time, as there have
been more than 82,000 diagnosed cases and more than 2,700 deaths reported worldwide due to COVID-19**, according to
GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Technology.
Kajal Jaddoo, Healthcare Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Researchers from the University of Queensland developed this
test vaccine in six weeks using world-first molecular clamp technology. Animal testing of the vaccine is set to begin.
“While the development of vaccines is time consuming, this first test dose is in production, which shows incredible
progress by the researchers. Using a DNA blueprint of COVID-19 by Chinese scientists, the researchers identified a
section of the virus to target, specifically a spike protein. The molecular clamp technology holds and changes the shape
of the spike protein to allow the human immune system to recognize and kill it. Once the vaccine’s design is perfected,
it will be tested on animals for safety and effectiveness.”
The risk of COVID-19 spreading globally and becoming a pandemic persists. Additionally, new strains of a virus are able
to spread more quickly, since they are unknown to the human immune system and thus no defense mechanisms exist. However,
this new technology is able to respond quickly to unknown viruses and strains, indicating that it could help stop the
spread, if found to be effective.
Jaddoo concludes: “Many large companies are hesitant to attempt the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 after failures
and disappearing needs following past Ebola and Zika outbreaks made such ventures less lucrative. However, if this test
vaccine is proven safe and effective in animal testing, human trials will be initiated by the middle of the year to help
curb the outbreak.